Whenever I am feeling blue, I like to go to the Balzar and watch a waiter gravely transfer a steak au poivre and its accompaniments from an oval platter to a plate, item by item. It reaffirms my faith in the sanity of superfluous civilization.
In Adam Gopnik's "Paris to the Moon," he shares a personal ritual that brings him comfort during gloomy times. He enjoys visiting the Balzar, a Parisian bistro, where he observes the meticulous process of a waiter carefully serving a classic dish, steak au poivre, from a platter to a plate. This simple act offers him a sense of stability and joy amidst the chaos of life.
Gopnik's experience emphasizes the importance...